What Might Have Been
by DragonLadie
Summary: Someone asked for this story. A possible couple of scenes from Mr. Monk Takes A Vacation.


Title: " What Might Have Been"  
Author: DragonLady  
Summery: A fill-in for what could have happened during the episode "Mr. Monk Takes   
a Vacation".  
Disclaimer: Monk is the property of USA Network and Mandeville Films.  
Rating: G  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sharona placed her hands on her hips. "How much did you pay them?" Adrian twitched his shoulders. "Two hundred dollars." Adrian watched as Sharona flew her hands in the air. "My God! You forget to pay me for over a week, then you turn around and give four maids two hundred bucks to wash some sheets?"  
  
"It wasn't just shee…"  
  
"Was it apiece?"  
  
Her question threw him. "What? Was what apiece?"  
  
"How much you paid them, was it two hundred apiece?" Adrian dropped his hands. "Of course not! Though I should have for the great job they did…" He answered thoughtfully as he gazed about the pristine room. Sharona groaned, kicked off her shoes, and flopped on the bed.   
  
"Hey! Don't, you'll get it all dirty!"   
Sharona sat up. "No I won't! Adrian, I just took a shower!" Adrian attempted to move her from the bed. "Yeah, but there could be sand in your clothes!" Instead of humoring him, Sharona slid further onto the bed.  
  
"Oh yeah? So what are you gonna do about it huh?" Panicking, Monk grabbed for her arm, only to have her dodge his grasp. She maneuvered her body to the center of the bed, pulling her feet up under her and crossing her arms. "Do it, I dare you!"  
Biting his lip, Adrian circled around the bed, debating the best point of attack. "You know, I bet Benjy's getting hungry…"  
Sharona smiled. "He just ate."  
  
Adrian lunged again, missed, and fell forward as his feet tangled in Sharona's discarded sandals. "Adrian!" Somehow, he managed to land sprawled across Sharona. She stared into his face, inches from her own. Adrian remained frozen, unable to move.   
  
"Pardon Senor… Oh!" Adrian fumbled upright, inadvertently tumbling Sharona to the floor in his haste to regain his footing. "I'm sorry, you were saying?" The maid glanced from Monk to the disheveled woman on the floor. "I come back later." In a swish of tan skirt, she was gone. Sharona was still on the floor.  
  
"Adrian?"  
He turned to gaze down at her. "Yes?  
  
"You gonna just stand there, or are ya gonna help me up?" Adrian straightened the comforter on his bed. "Actually, I think I'm going to lie down." So saying, he sat on the edge of the bed, then laid down on his back. Sharona grabbed one of his legs and pulled herself to her feet. "Well you just get comfortable, I'm going out."   
  
Startled, Adrian sat up quickly. "Out? Out where?"  
  
"I told you, I have a tennis date!" Adrian sputtered. "But, but I thought you… well I thought…" He rubbed a hand through his hair. "I thought you hated that guy!"   
  
Sharona smiled coldly. "Trust me Adrian, this is strictly for my pleasure. See ya!" Adrian winced, almost sympathetically, for the man Sharona was planning to meet with. Poor guy…  
  
  
  
Hours later…  
  
After police statements had been taken and the murderous maids were taken into custody, Adrian, Sharona, and Benjy added one more hour of vacation to their vacation. Benjy spent this time swimming in the ocean, close to the shore for Monk's benefit. Meanwhile, Adrian and Sharona simply walked along the beach. They stopped at one point to simply gaze out at the water, watching the burnished sun set over the waves.  
  
"How's Benjy?" Sharona half-smiled. "He's fine. He wants to be a detective." Adrian turned to her in surprise, a quick laugh bursting from him. "You're kidding! Well, whatta you know…" Sharona crossed her arms. "Adrian, now stop right there, I don't want you encouraging him…"  
  
"Hey, it's Adrian the lint man!" Squeezing his eyes shut, Adrian slowly covered his face. "Oh no…" Sharona turned quickly. It was the comedian from the restaurant. "Hey, how're you all doing? Say, I just wanted to thank you, I haven't had so many laughs since Clinton was in office!" Sharona glared. "Look buster, you got a lot of gall comin' over here!" The comedian held up his hands. "Hey, hey, back down! No offense intended! I just wanted to give you some free passes to my next show!" Monk glared at the man. "No thanks, we're leaving tonight." The comedian smiled hugely. "That's fine, these passes will cover you any time you can come!" Sharona pushed between the two men. "We are not interested. Come on Adrian." Taking him by the arm, she started to lead Adrian away. "Hey, hold on now! Don't be mad! I do this for a living! You gotta admit, this guy is funny…" Unable to take any more of his annoying voice, Sharona suddenly spun and punched the funny-man in the eye. As soon as he hit the sand, Sharona's hands flew to her mouth. "Oh God, I hope Benjy didn't see me do that!"  
  
"Mom, all right! That was awesome!"  
  
While Sharona placed a hand on her forehead, Adrian walked over to the comedian lying sprawled on the beach. Calmly, he leaned over and plucked something from the man's shirt. "Lint." Flicking the annoying bit of fuzz away, he returned to Sharona's side. "Ok, now we can go home."  
  
  
Later…  
  
  
Sharona waved her hands in the air as Adrian unpacked. "No, no, forget it! The next time you try to make me take a vacation, I SWEAR, I'm quitting…" Adrian stopped unpacking to look back at Sharona, slow amusement tugging his lips. Sharona's voice grew suddenly soft. "I can't believe I just said that…"  
  
"You seem upset." Sharona crossed her arms. "I AM upset!" Adrian smiled widely as he resumed unpacking. "You know what you need?   
  
"Shut up!"   
  
"VACATION!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Adrian laughed as Sharona strode from the room. Within minutes, he finished his unpacking, then went downstairs to join Sharona in the kitchen. She had already started a pot of coffee. Benjy was next-door, playing computer games with kid in a nearby apartment. "You are sick Adrian Monk." Adrian smiled as Sharona turned, a helpless laugh shaking her frame. "I can't believe I punched that guy!" Monk began laughing as well, leaning against the counter as he wiped tears of mirth from his eyes. "You never told me you took boxing." Sharona glared at her boss. "God! My son is never gonna let me forget this. First, you expose him to breaking and entering…"  
  
"Actually it was just trespassing…"  
  
"Then I attack some poor guy…"  
  
"You were defending my honor!" Sharona burst out helplessly again. "We are a terrible couple of role-models!" Adrian laughed with her, gentler this time. "I think Benjy will be just fine. You're a great mom." Suddenly uncomfortable with his genuine praise, Sharona turned towards the coffee pot, and accidentally swept her mug to the floor. "Ouch, damn!" She grasped her hand as steaming liquid washed over her fingers. Adrian straightened and rushed to her side. "Let me see." Sharona carefully released her hand to him, wincing at the sight of her reddened palm. "Here, quick, under the faucet." Adrian turned on the water as cold as it would go, then reached into a nearby drawer for an emergency medical kit. "You keep one of those in your kitchen?" Adrian glanced up, shrugging. "It's for emergencies. The kitchen is one of the most dangerous rooms in the home." Quickly, he pulled out a burn kit, salve, and sterile bandages. "Adrian, it's just a little burn…"  
  
"There's no point in taking chances." Resigning herself to Adrian's overprotective care, Sharona submitted to his ministrations. In moments, her hand was fully wrapped in a white bandage. Adrian even forced a couple of aspirin on her. "Now, just sit down while I clean up." Knowing it would be useless to argue, Sharona relocated in the living room while Adrian pulled out the bleach.   
  
Fifteen minutes later, Adrian appeared with a freshly made cup of coffee in his hand. "Here, I made a fresh pot." Sharona smiled at Adrian's obvious concern. "Thank you." Sitting beside her on the couch, Adrian watched as she took a sip. "It's not too hot is it?" Sharona shook her head. "It's perfect." They sat in silence for a few moments. Sharona took another sip. Feeling eyes on her, she turned to see Adrian studying her closely.   
  
"What?"   
  
He shook his head. "Nothing." He turned away, then turned back. "Yes, it's something. Sharona, we, we've known each other for about four years and… well…" Sharona leaned forward, setting her cup down on a coaster. "Adrian, what's wrong?" She could see he was suddenly nervous, rubbing his hands over his arms. "Sharona, I…I think that, well I…"  
  
"Adrian just spit it out!"  
  
"I love you."   
  
She didn't expect that. "Oh God…"   
  
Now that the hardest words were out, Adrian could speak without stuttering. "I wanted to tell you this for a long time. I just didn't know how. Every time I thought I could say something, something would happen." Sharona tentatively reached out and laid a hand on his sleeve. "Adrian, I… I don't know what to say."  
  
"You don't have to say anything. It was stupid of me to do that!" He said as he turned his head aside. "Now you're going to be uncomfortable around me…" Sharona tightened her grip. "Adrian, Adrian look at me." He turned his tortured gaze to meet her eyes.   
  
"Do I look uncomfortable?"  
  
Adrian's eyebrows pulled together. "You're very kind, but I know this is bothering you, I understand if you want to go…"  
  
Sharona slid closer to him. "I don't intend to go anywhere." Carefully, she leaned in, watching his face for rejection. Their lips met lightly, cautiously feeling each other out. Sharona leaned back gently. Adrian's eyes were still closed, his face angled down as it had been when she kissed him. Smiling softly, she leaned in again, her kiss more sure this time. Slowly, she felt Adrian's arms slide up her back, wrapping around her shoulders. One hand raised up to caress the back of her head. Seconds later, their lips parted, but Adrian's arms remained around her body. Sighing, she leaned into his chest, turning her face to gaze out at the room. "If all our vacations can end like this, maybe you can talk me in to taking one again after all."  
  
Adrian smiled. "How about if our vacations begin like this?" Sharona gazed up into his face. "Sounds wonderful."  
  
  
  
  
-End 


End file.
